WILTSHIRE captain Ed Young admits Tuesday’s Unicorns Championship Western Division loss to Oxfordshire was a disappointing way to round off what has been a positive season.

Visitors Oxfordshire successfully chased down the 314 runs required to win the three-day season finale at Marlborough, denying Young’s troops a third Championship win on the spin.

The match was firmly in Wiltshire’s favour for large parts of the contest as half-centuries from Dave Bromley and Young in the first innings helped the hosts post 211 in their first innings before Oxfordshire were restricted to 129 in reply.

Steady knocks from the middle order guided Wiltshire to 231 in their second innings – leaving Oxfordshire with a mountain to climb if they were to pinch the win.

But on an ever-increasingly batting friendly wicket, Harry Smith’s men chased down the runs required with two wickets to spare from 99 overs.

“It was a disappointing way to end the season, but we played some really good cricket,” said Young.

“We dominated 85 per cent of the game. Unfortunately though with three-day cricket, a bad hour or session can completely change the game, and that’s what happened to us.

“A couple of their batsmen played themselves in before lunch on the final day. With the pitch flattening out and not offering as much spin, it became easier to bat on and Oxfordshire did that well.

“It was a shame to finish the year on a low point, but overall it’s been a really encouraging season.”

The result rounded off what has been a positive summer for Wiltshire.

Having lost their opening fixtures against Dorset and Berkshire, Young’s men displayed signs of character to pick up a draw at Cornwall before defeating Wales and Herefordshire.

The results mean Wiltshire ended the season on 67 points from their six games, lifting them to sixth in the table – a position that satisfied Young.

He said: “When you look back at the last few seasons we have been nowhere in this competition.

“It has been an encouraging summer, especially as some of the younger players have made their mark at minor county cricket level.”